805 Band Biography

805 is a progressive rock band from Upstate NY. Started
in 1977 by Dave Porter, 805 was signed to RCA Records in 1980.
In 1982, Stand In Line produced by Dennis MacKay was released on
RCA Records. It went Number 33 on national radio airplay
charts. In 1985, 805 self released Question of Tomorrow.
In 1989, 805 self released
Edge of The World. In 2005, 805 self
released End Of Light Best of 1979-1989
CD. In 2008, 805 issued remastered releases of Stand In Line, Question of Tomorrow, Edge of The World,
End Of Light, plus the release of Live Sounds
From A Dark Past consisting of a live concert performance
recorded on 11-26-2003.In 2009, 805 issued
Young
Boys Live consisting of a live radio mobile broadcast
recorded on 09-01-1982 during the peak of their national tour to
promote the release of Stand In Line.Band members over time have included Dave Porter on
vocals and guitar, Greg "Creamo" Liss on bass,
Ed Vivenzio on keyboards, Ron Cunningham on guitar and
vocals, and brothers
Frank Briggs and Gary Briggs on drums.

Dave Porter after returning to Syracuse in
1975 had a band, Harpy, that started doing "weird things on
stage," he admits. The music was simpler than his next band's
would be, but the theatrical aspects of the show carried over.
Pyrotechnics, 10-foot pythons and blowing things up became part
of the routine. But for a variety of reasons, Harpy broke up and
Porter went on the lookout "for people who were really wizards
on their instruments." After extensive auditions he found
bassist Greg Liss (also called Creamo), keys player Ed Vivenzio
and drummer Frank Briggs as well as guitarist, vocalist Ron
Cunningham (who was with the band until 1980), and formed 805 in
1977.

Shortly after Cunningham's departure, RCA signed
the band while it was playing what Porter recalls as a "dive of
a place" in Little Falls. The band enjoyed quick success
with RCA and had the chance to record at Electric Lady Studios
in New York City. But within a few years, the excitement faded
and in 1983 they were on their own. The band continued playing
with the original lineup until 1986 and other lineups until
1989. Since then there have been several reunions, but the
original lineup with Porter, Liss, Vivenzio and Briggs only
played a few tunes at a 2003 appearance at the Turning Stone
Resort and Casino. Putting the pieces back together has been a
daunting task.

"We've got like four hours to try to
relearn these kind of complicated songs," Porter says. "They're
in weird time signatures. If you're playing a song that's in
7/8, in those beats, it's hard to make them sound smooth to
begin with unless they're played right. We'll see how good we
are after all these years."

Although the band won't be
able to spit fire or blow things up this weekend, the stories
haven't lost their luster. Porter recalls a show where they did
their usual routine at the end—a set themed to old age and death
that called for a concussion bomb to go off while Porter
magically changed from an old man (he'd rip off a mask and old,
worn clothes) to a beautiful young man in shining white clothes.
In this instance, they set off the bomb and blew off half of the
club's ceiling. Porter still recalls looking out and seeing a
dazed, blinded crowd covered in debris.

"They just sat
there," he says in disbelief. "They didn't even move." At the
end of the night Porter slunk to the bar owner's office, fearing
805 would be banned from the club, forced to pay for the damage
and denied their night's pay.

"He {the bar owner} goes,
'You blew half the ceiling down.' I go, 'I know, I'm sorry,'"
Porter re-enacts. “He goes, 'That was f--king amazing! Do you
know how many people are gonna be here the next time you play?'
I was so surprised."

It's with fond memories of ceilings
falling, bombs going off and Creamo sending fireballs rolling
above the crowd (Porter claims they only had to douse Creamo
once) that 805 returns, finally getting recognition for the
contributions to music, theatrics and Syracuse.

Although
other members couldn't make the interview, Porter is quick to
remember those who will join him on the Sammys stage for the
performance on Friday night. "It's 805 that's going into the
Hall of Fame," he says thoughtfully. "The other three
musicians that surrounded me... I guess that was my big talent.
The ability to surround myself with really incredible musicians.
I pale in comparison to any of the three of them."

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